Comparison of volume and frequency advancement feeding protocols in very low birth weight neonates.

Objective: To determine the outcomes in very low birth weight (VLBW) neonates receiving volume advancement versus frequency advancement feeding protocols.

Methods: This controlled clinical trial was conducted in Children Hospital Multan within duration of 6 months from February 2017 to August 2017. VLBW neonates having weight < 1500 g at the time of birth were included. The protocol for frequency advancement (FA) group was to give 1 ml/kg human or pre-formula milk after every 8 hours and in volume advancement (VA) group after every 3 hours initially. After three days, in FA group duration of feeds was decreased gradually from 8 to 2 hours and feed volume of 10 ml.kg.day until full-recommended dose of feeding i.e. 150 ml.kg.day reached. While in VA group, volume of 20 ml.kg.day was given until full-recommended dose of feeding reached. Days to achieve full feed, weight gain, and length of hospital stay were primary study outcomes.

Results: Baseline weight of neonates was 1148 (111) grams in VA 1179 (106) grams in FA groups (p-value 0.18). In VA group, full feed was achieved in 11.04 (2.38) days versus 15.76 (2.48) days in FA group (P-value <0.001). Duration of IV fluid therapy were 13.5 (8.4) days in FA group versus 9.4 (7.6) in VA group (p-value <0.001). Moreover weight gain at the end of feeding protocol was significantly higher in VA group 1440 (78) grams versus 1284 (99) grams in FA group (P-value <0.001). Necrotizing entero-colitis occurred in only one neonate that was belonging to volume advancement group.

Conclusion: Volume advancement (VA) feeding is better as compared to frequency advancement (FA) feeding in very low birth weight neonates.